Operational rules

[CaptOblivious]

I get the impression from NGDCC's website that trains have to dim their lights when passing through or standing at passenger stations. I also got the impression (from a thread here) that locos use their marker lights only when running light, or when shunting (in which case both sides are lit).

 

But I want more than rumor and hearsay. What are JR operating rules, with references?

 

Here's a decent start: Rules for signal usage, translated from the Japanese Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_railway_signals

[Guest ___]

One of the things I like about photographing trains in Japan is that I can shoot in "S" mode instead of "M becasue I don't have to contend with those damn flashing ditch lights. The other thing I like is that they don't run with headlights unless it is dark, or raining and even then they don't always run with lights in the rain.

[marknewton]

Don, I think the sort of information you are looking for will only be found in publications like WTTs, appendices and employee rule books, none of which I expect will find their way onto the web. The Wikipedia page is quite interesting, but doesn't go into a great deal of depth about the underlying rules and procedures - at least that's my observation as a career railwayman.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[CaptOblivious]

Well, I was afraid of that. I guess, until I can get my hands on such (and read it), I can wing it, and no-one will notice :D

[bill937ca]

I get the impression from NGDCC's website that trains have to dim their lights when passing through or standing at passenger stations.

 

From some You Tube videos it appears that headlights activated by the controller. This could be an energy saving feature on the newer cars. When the motorman starts up the EMU or tram, or maybe more accurately puts his brake wrench in its slot, the running lights come on.

 

The headlight does not come on until the motorman gets the dispatch phone ringer. It could be a switch, but it also could be controller activated.

 

 

This one has the hurry up song, the announcement and the dispatch phone ringer.  The head light comes on as the motorman notches up the controller.

 

[CaptOblivious]

Alright, Bill's recent posting (http://www.jnsforum.com/index.php/topic,1950.msg18611/topicseen.html) proved a little insightful about some issues brought up here.

 

Here's Bill's video again; fast forward to the second half, in which we see a DE10 at work shunting.

 

 

Notice the one marker light? On the left? I thought it was some artifact of compression, or a trick of the light, but it is definitely on. Just the left (facing the nose; I guess it's the right one from the engineer's perspective!) one. Also, notice: headlights not on until coupled and on the way out. Here's the video I found (searching for more DE10 videos) that's really interesting though:

 

 

You can see clearly that, as the DE10 brings the coaches into the station, only the left marker light on each end is lit! Same for the EF81 (no. 98 BTW, the very one I've been working on adding marker lights to!), only the left one. Notice too the markerlights on the coaches.

 

And again (not as nice an illustration of operating practices, but look for the markerlights):

 

 

Question: Why would this be? Why just one, and not both?

 

Anyway, food for thought for those of us interested in adding markerlights to our locos!

[bikkuri bahn]

According to a Yahoo Japan question site, a single marker light is illuminated in shunting or coupling operations as a warning sign to trackside personnel that shunting work is being done.  Especially in nighttime and low visibility conditions.

 

http://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q1130896051

[marknewton]

Don, I can't get the videos to play at the moment, but I'll hazard a guess and say that only one side's marker light is illuminated to indicate to other traincrews that are passing which side the driver and shunter are working from. We do the same thing in some yards here.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[CaptOblivious]

T

Don, I can't get the videos to play at the moment, but I'll hazard a guess and say that only one side's marker light is illuminated to indicate to other traincrews that are passing which side the driver and shunter are working from. We do the same thing in some yards here.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

 

Mark. That's interesting to know, but if you do get a chance to view the videos, I wonder if they are consistent eith that interpretation. It's always the same one light, and you bcan oftren see the brakeman working on the opposite sidre from the lit marker.

 

Under what conditions would both markerlights be on, then? i recall that maybe it was stevenh who posted a video of a loco running light that appeared (it was daytime) to have all four markers on.

[westfalen]

If it was anywhere but Japan I'd suspect one marker light had a blown bulb.

 

Maybe it's something like the British practice of locomotive headcodes, a pilot (shunting/switching) engine used one red and one white lamp on each end. This is a situation where it would be handy to have some Japanese members of the forum, especially some railwaymen.

 

On our EMUs in Brisbane the red markers are lit on each end of the consist when it is energised, when you 'put the key in' (the direction controller) and move it out of the isolate position to activate the cab, the white markers light up on that cab, when in forward the ditch lights come on, (on 160/260 class they flash when you blow the horn). We don't have control of what markers or combination thereof are on.